Method and means for taking and projecting motion pictures



Aug. 18, 1931. J. H. WHITE 1,319,492

METHOD AND MEANS FOR TAKING AND PROJEGTING MOTION PICTURES Filed Oct. 26, 1928 INVENTOR.

James H White.

' A TTORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 18, 1931 STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES .11. WHITE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y,,,AssI NoR T HERMAN GERMAIN, or NEwYoRm LY,

I iuiirnon AND MEA S ron TAKING- AND PROJECTING MOTION PICTURES 7 Application fi1ed 0ctober 26, 1928. Serial No. 315,161.

This invention refers to motion picture cameras and more especially to a cheap and novel means of accomplishing step photography. l V

WVhilevthe principle of this invention is adapted to a variety of uses, in the embodiment disclosed herein itis used in a camera employing a direct positive exposure of the image, or series of images, on an annular lo 'surface adjacentthe periphery of a 'light sensitized disc of paper or like photographic material. j

' An object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive motion picture camera and projecting machine incombina- 'tion, adapted bothto take and view several score or more of individual pictures at a speed suflicient to give them the effect of a motion picture, when later viewed.

Another object is to provide a mechanical device adapted to provide a simple and positive means'of eflecting intermittent motion by the continuousturning ofa crank.

All these and other objects as suggested below are attained in the device and by the method now to be described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away, showing the complete camera and pro- 3o jector combination, and particularly the operating mechanism therefore.

Fig. 2 is a side-elevational view, also partly broken away, of the apparatus of Fig. 1. And Fig. 8 is a fiat plane view of the sensitized disc or film on which the succession of pictures is exposed around its peripheral surface; I

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The embodiment here disclosed consists side bottom of the box 10 is a plurality of spaced pins or stops 13, formed either as upright inset pins, or preferably struck up from the peripheral edge of the inside bottom member, there being a series of lips bent upwardly, as clearly disclosed in Fig. 1.

The top 11 is held in closed position over container 10 by means of a spring catch 14, its sides being flanged downwardly around the container to make it light-proof.

' F astened to the under side of container 10 85 is a bracket 15, shaped as shown inFig. 2, and adapted to rotatably mount both a shaft 16 at each end thereof and a second shaft 17 at right angles thereto. Keyed to the outer end of shaft 16 is a crank handle 18, and to the opposite end, a bevelled pinion gear19. In mesh with gear 19 and keyed to shaft 17 is a second gear 20 adapted to rotate shaft 17 on the rotation of crank handle 18.

Keyed to shaft 17 atits inner end, which projects up throughthe interior of container 10, as shown in Fig. 1, is a flat resilient spring 21, somewhat longer than the radius of the circle around the circumference of which are the pins or stops 13 as previously 7 described. Keyed, also to shaft'17 and adapted torotate in conjunction with spring 21 is a rigid arm 22 having near its outer end stop pins 23 and 24 between which spring 21 is adapted to slide as'it flexes into bent position asv shown. This construction is such that on the rotation of shaft 17 by means of crank handle 18 sprin 21 is made to flex, thereby shortening its efiective radial length until its end is permitted to pass within the circle of posts or stops 13, and immediately after passing each one of these it extends again through its resiliency toa position between said stop and the next succeeding one. This movement, due to the tension of this$- spring, from one stop position to the next adjacent one, is practically instantaneous. Thus, during the continuous rotation of crank handle 18 in one direction, there is an almost instantaneous movement of pin 23 9 from stop 13 to adjoining stop 13 on its journey around a complete revolution and during the time of rotation of shaft 17, while spring 21 is again becoming flexed to a point where its eflectivelength shortens sufliciently" to pass the stop and move to the next one,

pin 23 on arm 22 is stationary.

The motion picture film consists of a disc of sensitized paper or other photographic material as shown in Fig. 3, the peripheral strip 109 25 being the part of the disc to be exposed in a series of adjacent pictures, as shown. This disc has a central hole 26 adapted to fit over shaft 17, Fig. 1, and rests on the shoulder 27 surrounding said shaft 17 and inset somewhat below its upper end. The disc film 25 has a hole or indentation 28 near its outer periphery and in position such that when the disc is mounted with its central hole 26 over shaft 17 on the shoulder 27, pin 23 projects up through hole 28, thus serving to carry the disc 25 around w'th pin 23, when it is made to revolve intermittently on the turning of crank handle 18.

The container cover 11 has a hole 29 cut through it, somewhat as shown by dotted lines Fig. 1, and suf'ficiently large to surround each individual picture surface 25, Fig. 3, when the disc is positioned in the camera as described, and immediately below this hole. Mounted in the position shown in Fig. 1 over this hole 29 is a member 30 adapted to rotate about hearing 31 and containing at one end immediately over hole 29 a picture-taking lens and a magnifying viewing or projecting lens Thus member 30 can be made to rotate end for end to bring into operative position either the camera lens or the projector lens, depending upon the use that the device is to be put to at the time.

t will of course be understood that the interior of container 10 is blackened or other wise prepared to exclude the light and that the container itself is also light proof, and that means are provided for inserting the light-sensitized disc 25 into the camera with out premature exposure, and then to free it of such covering to be ready to take a picture, after which the exposed disc is again kept from the light until it has been suitably developed and printed, if a film, or its images otherwise permanently fixed, if a combined negative and positive.

It will also be understood that a standard type of light shutter may be fitted to coact with the camera lens to provide the proper light interval for correct exposure of the pictures. And also that the gear ratio for normal turnin speed of the crank handle 18 is such as to give the individual picture surfaces on disc 25, the proper speed for a motion picture effect.

It will be seen from the above description of the construction and operation of the parts of this device. that the inventor has devised a new method of motion picture taking and projection in a simple and inexpensive form of apparatus and with the plurality of pictures conveniently arranged around the outer edge of a disc, and adapted to be cut out and placed around the peripheral edge of a phonograph record, the interior surface of which would be embossed with sound grooves to make a co1nbined sight and sound record, the outer periphery of which may be viewed through a magnifying glass at reduced speed if desirable, to get the motion picture effect, for instance, of the person who records the record.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is forthe purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not limited thereto. To those skilled in the art, many modifications of the invention will be readily apparent, and it will also be obvious to such skilled persons that parts of the device and method may be used without other parts thereof, many such combinations readily suggesting themselves. Therefore, it should be, and is to be distinctly understood that for a definition of the limitations of the invention, reference must be had to the appended claims.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which Letters Patent of the United States is desired, is:

1. An intermittent motion-producing means for motion picture cameras comprising a supporting base, a. revolving radial arm adapted to he revolved thereon around its center on the turning of a crank and having guides at its end, a flexible member pivoted to rotate with said arm about its center, its outer end adapted to slide between said guides as it is flexed, and stop means placed around a circumference of the supporting base and so arranged that the end of the flexible means at each flexing is adapted to pass beneath successive stop means and carry the arm from its rest position opposite one stop to a rest position opposite an adjoining stop.

2. The invention as in claim 3, one of said guides being adapted to project through and carry with it a disc having a peripheral lightsensitized surface for a plurality of images.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 18th day of September, A. D. 1928.

JAMES H. WHITE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,819,492. Granted August 18, 1931, to

JAMES H. WHITE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 100, claim 2, for "claim 3" read claim 1; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of November, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFIGATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,819,492. Granted August 18, 1931, to

JAMES H. WHITE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 100, claim 2, for "claim 3" read claim 1; and that the said Letters Patent should he read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of November, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

